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Hedgehogs and rat poison

PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307
edited March 2018 in Wildlife gardening
Quick question. For the first time in 10 years we saw a hedgehog in the garden last night. (none round here normally as the badgers eat them). We have a problem with rats eating their way into the Summer House, so I put  the wax block type poison down in a box next to their ingress point. Question is would a hedgehog eat that kind of bait?

Posts

  • Dave HumbyDave Humby Posts: 1,145
    If they’re contained rat poison blocks which are held in by the wire through the hole you should ok as the hogs can’t get in the access holes to the box. I’m assuming it is a ‘proper’ bait box. Don’t use any of the loose poison (blocks or bait) as this can be dragged out by mice / rats etc and then is accessible to the hogs.
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307
    Thanks. The bait has gone today so I think I will not put out any more for the moment.
  • madpenguinmadpenguin Posts: 2,543
    I have hedgehogs and also rats.I use the proper bait boxes.One piece of bait I keep on a chain and dangle it near where I know the rats go but cannot access it well enough to put a box.I can yank up the chain to check on it!Have made fully sure hedgehogs cannot get at it.Rats seem to have gone now but hoggy is still around.
    “Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Out of interest, do you know for sure that is the badgers that are eating them?
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307
    No, but we do have a lot of badger setts all round us and badgers do eat hogs and we have only seen them twice in 22 years in a very rural should be hog heaven area.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    We're the same as you Berghill, I would love to see hedgehogs again (last time 12 years ago) but we have lots of badgers around here. Personally, I think it's the rise in the badger population that is decimating the hedgehogs but I guess that's nature for you and survival of the fittest.  We certainly don't see any dead hedgehogs as road kill.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • Mark56Mark56 Posts: 1,653
    They often go unnoticed and do not thrive in woodland areas, preferring suburbia and our gardens (if linked with 5" holes for access). The biggest sign of presence is obviously poo, badgers or foxes will take any roadkill hedgehogs before we even notice. Badgers do predate on hogs but their far more inclined to search for worms. 
  • hilltop_haven_jackcehfKByhilltop_haven_jackcehfKBy Posts: 1
    PLEASE PLEASE only use rat poison in a copper fronted rat box or cover the access in copper strips as you would round a plant pot. Slugs and snails love rat poison and are not affected by it, they then trundle off and kill hedgehogs and thrushes etc. Lots of articles online citing rat poison for the decline in hedgehogs including RSPCA articles.
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